Metro Detroit has earned the dubious distinction of leading the country with the highest rate of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), according to a new study.
The Detroit area recorded 1,491 STI cases per 100,000 residents in 2023, catapulting the region from 9th place last year to the top spot in this year’s rankings by Innerbody Research, a health information site.
Detroit knocked Philadelphia out of the top spot.
Last year, metro Detroit reported 20,830 new cases of chlamydia, 7,983 cases of gonorrhea, 628 cases of syphilis, and 386 HIV cases.
Interbody compiled the report by analyzing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Census Bureau, the National Coalition of STD Directors, and other sources.
Philadelphia ranked second this year, followed by Montgomery, Alabama; Memphis, Tennessee; Baltimore, Marland; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Washington, D.C. The study found that cities in the South continue to dominate the rankings, accounting for 60% of the top 25 metro areas with the highest STI rates.
Public health experts say poverty, insufficient public health funding, and a lack of access to testing and treatment contribute to high infection rates.
The research also found that STI rates disproportionately affect marginalized communities, with Black, Latino, and Indigenous populations having the highest infections.
Nationally, the STI rates declined 1.8% in 2023 compared to 2022, continuing to undo a two-decade rise that peaked during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although the decrease is encouraging, the report’s authors emphasized the need for greater public-health investment to prevent the rates from rebounding.
The full report can be found at innerbody.com.
